The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup knockout rounds have begun and one of the most anticipated matches is Nigeria's Super Falcons vs England.
Two of the quarter-finalists have been decided on Saturday and come Monday, the Nigeria women’s national football team will have the opportunity to enter into the competition’s last eight.
Their match against the Lionesses of England is one of the knockout rounds' most exciting matchups and one that has some history.
We take a look at the head-to-head record and form guide at this stage of the tournament as we look forward to Super Falcons vs England.
Super Falcons vs England head-to-head
Super Falcons vs England will be meeting for the second time at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Nigerian team have only progressed to the knockouts on three occasions (2023 included) and have not been fortunate to face their English counterparts in any of their previous knockout experiences.
However, in 1995, at the second edition of the women’s showpiece, Nigeria and England were drawn into the same group. A narrow win by the English in their last group-stage game against each other cost Nigeria a place in the knockout rounds of that tournament.
Both have not had the opportunity to face each other again at all the previous editions of the World Cup until now. Super Falcons talisman Asisat Oshoala and her teammates will be looking to get revenge for their predecessors when they come up against the Lionesses.
Their head-to-head record, however, does not inspire much confidence despite Randy Wladrum’s tough-talking since the Super Falcons qualified for the round of 16.
The last five Super Falcons vs England matches ended up with two wins and two draws for the Lionesses, with Nigeria taking only one win from that run. The scoring record is close enough, however, just like their last FIFA Women’s World Cup meeting.
The final scoreline in their last five meetings totals an average of 1.6 goals, with Nigeria conceding 0.6 goals and England conceding 0.2 goals.
From this, it is safe to infer that history is on the side of England in any Super Falcons vs England match.
Super Falcons vs England: “We won’t be intimidated,” Randy Waldrum says
The manager of the Nigeria women’s national football team, Randy Waldrum, is confident in the ability of his women to surmount the challenge of England. The Super Falcons vs England match is expected to be action-packed and Nigerian football fans are worried about the fate of the Falcons.
Waldrum however, has boldly proclaimed that the 2022 Women’s European Championship winners will not intimidate them.
“Now we made it out of the group stage, we don’t want our work to be done,” he said in an interview with Victor “Modo” Ekene, one of the official Super Falcons’ photojournalists for the tournament.
“We want to continue and I think the match against England is certainly going to be another challenge.
“We are playing the European champions now, they are champions for a reason – they have quite a good team, we know and we respect that.
“But I think the players understand that we have played the Olympic gold medallists, played Australia, two top 10 teams in the world and I don’t think they will be intimidated by the moment at all and now, it’s time to go out and perform.”
This article was most recently revised and updated 3 months ago
